Musical instrument



March 26, 1 40- H. E. FIRESTONE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 6, 19:58 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 AT'TORNEY.

H. E. FIREST ONE 2,194,545

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 6. 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 644F010 .6. /7,$70/V k 37i)? J #2484 ATTORNEY.

MUS I CAL INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 6, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3' INVENTOR. #48010 .6. f/QFSTO/VL' BY h A RNEY.

March 26, 1940. H. E. FIREQ'STONE j 2,194,545

MUS I CAL INS TRUMENT Filed Jan. 6, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q N l 5 *1 -&\ 3 '2 g 1' s m J l) i N h I n m Q- 1 1 n I t m a t g (a, r

n i u a a:

75 at a H L j INVENTOR. 1748010 6. f7570l Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT of Indiana Application January 6,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to percussion musical instruments, and is illustrated as embodied in an instrument of the Xylophone type, which has a series of tone bars which are struck by mallets. An object of the invention is to provide such instruments with damper means for different groups of tone elements such as bars, as for example the upper and lower halves of the series of tone bars of an instrument of the Xylophone type. Preferably this is accomplished by the use of a plurality of damper bars, or equivalent damper elements, which in the ordinary instrument are arranged end to end, and which can be operated by the performer either selectively or together. These are especially efiective in an instrument having resonators and means associated with the resonators to cause the sound to pulsate or vibrate.

An important feature of the invention relates to controlling the damper elements by a plurality of pedals arranged closely adjacent each other approximately midway of the length of the instrument, so that the performer can readily manipulate them either selectively or together, with one foot. Since this makes it most convenient to connect the pedals to the damper elements at their ends, another feature relates to providing the damper elements with means (shown as parallel-motion links) constraining them to move always parallel to themselves as they are raised and lowered.

The above and other objects and features of the invention, including various particular constructions and desirable arrangements, will be apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an instrument having two damper bars;

Figure 2 is a vertical section lengthwise through the instrument, on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the instrument on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a partial vertical section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of part of Figure 2, showing the mounting of the damper bars; and

Figure 8 is a view corresponding to Figure 2, but showing a machine having three damper bars.

The instruments illustrated are known commercially as Vibraphones, and are of the xylo phone type, having series of tone bars I 0 arranged generally horizontally, parallel to each other, in a series corresponding to the keys of a piano. These bars are carried in the usual manner by 1938, Serial No. 183,576

a support including a framework I?! mounted by means of suitable posts 14 on a base l6. Suitable braces 18 may also be provided.

Depending from the framework [2 below each tone bar I U is a hollow resonator 20, of such a size as to amplify the note of that particular tone bar. In the particular instruments illustrated, the resonators 20 are provided with circular blades or fans 22 all mounted on two shafts 24 driven by belt mechanism 26 from a motor '28. The rotation of the blades or fans 22 forms pulsations or rhythmic vibrations in the sounds produced when the tone bars Ill are struck by mallets.

Below the tone bars H), where they can engage the lower ends of the bars corresponding to the black keys of a piano simultaneously with the upper ends of the bars corresponding to the white keys of a piano, are arranged end to end two downwardly-facing channel-section damper bars 38 and 32, faced on their upper surfaces with felt or the like. The damper bars 30 and 32 are arranged just above, and parallel to, an upwardly-facing channel-section horizontal support 36 extending lengthwise of the instrument and detachably but rigidly secured to the framework l2.

Coil springs 38 compressed between the damper bars 30 and 32 and the support 36 normally hold the damper bars lightly against the tone bars Ill. The upward movement of the damper bars is adjustably limited by engagement with the support 36 of washers backed up by nuts 40 threaded on pedal rods 42 and 44 connected to the adjacent ends of the damper bars at their upper ends and connected at their lower ends to pedals 46 and 48. The pedal rods are preferably in two telescoping sections clamped together by setscrews, to provide for ready adjustment.

The pedals 46 and 48 are side by side, closely adjacent each other, approximately midway of the length of the instrument, so that the performer can readily depress either or both of them with one foot, to depress either or both of the damper bars against the resistance of the springs 38. The extent the pedals can be depressed may be adjustably limited by nuts 52 threaded on the pedal rods between the damper bars and the support 36.

In playing the instrument, the performer can depress the damper bars 30 and 32 selectively or together, by manipulation of the pedals 46 and 48. Means is provided for constraining the damper bars to move at all times parallel to themselves, the means illustrated comprising sets of parallel-motion links 54 pivoted at their lower ,ends to the support 36 and at their upper ends to the damper bars 30 and 32.

Selective control of a plurality of damper bars, as described above, is particularly advantageous in an instrument having the rotating blades or fans 22, or equivalent means, for producing pulsations or vibrations in the tones produced by the tone bars.

In Figure 6 there is shown a modification having three damper bars ltfl, Isl, and I32, connected by pedal rods I42, I43, and M4 to three pedals I46, I41, and I48. The three pedals are arranged closely adjacent each other so that they can be depressed selectively or together by the performers foot.

While two illustrative embodiments have been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit the scope of the invention to those particular embodiments, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A percussion musical instrument having tone elements arranged in a musical series, a plurality of damper elements arranged end to end and each of which has parts engageable with the tone elements of a part of said series, yielding means urging the damper elements against the tone elements, a plurality of pedals arranged closely adjacent each other side by side at the bottom and approximately midway of the length of the instrument and which are operable selectively or together by the performers foot, and a connection from each pedal to one of the damper elements such that depression of each pedal withdraws the corresponding damper element from engagement With the tone elements against the resistance of said yielding means.

2. A percussion musical instrument having tone elements arranged in a musical series, resonators for the tone elements, power-driven pulsationproducing means associated with the resonators, a plurality of damper elements arranged end to end and each of which has parts engageable with the tone elements of a part of said series, yielding means urging the damper elements against the tone elements, and means for selectively or simultaneously withdrawing said damper elements from the tone elements against the resistance of said yielding means.

HAROLD E. FIRESTONE. 

